


Privilege

by Lady Divine (fhartz91)



Series: Outside Edge [42]
Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, Fluff, Ice Skating, Light Angst, M/M, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 15:04:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14813664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fhartz91/pseuds/Lady%20Divine
Summary: An expensive gift of new skates stirs strong feelings in Kurt as he comes to terms with his newfound stardom.





	Privilege

“Ah …” Sebastian sighs, sitting on Kurt’s bed amidst the second load of packages UPS delivered that day. That’s not to mention the letters, which the post office carts over in bags a few times a week. He sticks his hand into the closest bag of fan mail, rifling through a stack of cards, some addressed in crayon. “The perks of being a star athlete.”

“I guess …” Kurt replies, focused on a luxe-looking white card covered in gold writing. Sebastian has seen cards like that before. He’s gotten one or two. But whatever this one says has Kurt’s full attention. He sits up to get a better look. When he sees what Kurt has laid out before him, he laughs without meaning to.

“Did you seriously buy yourself _three new pairs_ of Riedells?”

“Ha.” Kurt scoffs. “ _I_ didn’t buy _anything_. They were _sent_ to me, courtesy of the kind people at Riedell for being, and I quote, ‘a highly regarded member of Team Riedell’.”

“Even better.” Sebastian climbs off the bed and joins him on the floor. “The best skates are the ones you don’t have to pay for.”

Kurt opens the first box. Wrapped carefully in white paper, the Riedell symbol printed on it in gold, are two white satin bags, holding (according to the box) a brand new pair of the skates he already owns. Though, knowing the caliber of the equipment companies send to athletes that represent their brand, these probably have crystals running up the back (to complement his signature fashion style), his initials embossed in gold on the ankle, or his name engraved on the blades. He rests a hand on one, not quite daring enough to take it out of the bag, and shakes his head. “You know, a year ago, I couldn’t even get Riedell to follow me on Instagram, no matter how many pictures I hashtagged _I skate Riedell_. But a week ago, I made a post hinting that I might need a new pair of skates soon and _boom_. Three brand new pairs of skates, along with an invitation for a fourth _custom_ pair, right at my door.”

“And not a moment too soon,” Sebastian says, taking the invitation from Kurt’s hand when he offers it to him. “We’ve had your Arias fixed so many times, they’re looking a little sad.”

“I don’t even know how they got my size.”

“Google. Believe me, they have eyes everywhere.” Sebastian tucks the invitation into the box and puts an arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders. “You have to expect it, babe. You’re a star now. Everyone’s gonna want you to skate in their gear. At least you actually like Riedells. You won’t have your name associated with a company you don’t believe in.”

“Yeah.” Kurt takes his hand off the skate and sinks into Sebastian’s side. “That’s a plus.”

Sebastian looks down at his boyfriend - at his skater - bummed for no reason Sebastian can see. “Does that bother you?”

Kurt shrugs. “Yes and no. I mean, I love Riedell skates. My first pair of skates were Riedells, my last pair are going to be Riedells ...”

“But …?”

“Well, ice skating is the most expensive sport in the Olympics! Aside from equestrian sports. I’ve got sponsors, a few endorsements. I don’t have your kind of money but, at this point, I can afford my own skates. So many other kids out there with potential are struggling to excel at a sport they love using rental skates. And they’ll keep struggling with rentals because a decent pair of boots and blades cost half a paycheck, even if you buy them on eBay.”

“Some people see that as a rite of passage. If you want it bad enough, you’ll sacrifice.” Sebastian gives his boyfriend a comforting squeeze. “You sacrificed a ton to get where you are, and look at you. Look how far you’ve made it.”

“Talent and ambition only take you so far. I was in the right place at the right time,” Kurt says quietly. “I met the right person, and they believed in me.” He peeks up at Sebastian, meeting his boyfriend’s gaze with eyes already saying _I’m sorry_. “ _You’re_ talented. _You_ have ambition. Did _you_ have to sacrifice?” Kurt feels Sebastian’s arm around his shoulders tighten. “Not to be mean or insulting but I’ve seen your skate collection. You have boxes of skates you haven’t even opened, and a lot of those were just sent to you.”

“They were sent to me because I was on Elite,” Sebastian says, even though he knows he doesn’t have to clarify. And he doesn’t have to defend himself. Kurt’s not blaming him. Sebastian gets what he’s saying. Not a one of the boys on that team needed anything that their parents’ money couldn’t provide, and yet each of them received loads of gear every season that they’d never be able to use. Some of the skates Kurt is referring to don’t even fit Sebastian, but it never dawned on him to give them away. They were like trophies – a symbol of status that Kurt hasn’t enjoyed until recently. Sebastian watched Kurt struggle on his old skates for the past year, watched the soles soften and fall apart. Kurt posted about it on Instagram, and Riedell, for all of Kurt’s tagging, said nothing. They didn’t offer to replace them or fix them.

They didn’t even give him an apology.

Having those new skates show up at his door is as exciting as it is a slap in the face.

“Maybe we could start a foundation or something?” Kurt suggests. “I want to help make decent skates available to all those kids who want to pursue skating but can’t afford to. At least here in Ohio.”

“Yeah. I think my uncle could help us with that. And we could hold a drive down at the rink, get people to donate their old skates for kids who can use them. Coach Beiste will let us do it for sure. We’ll start with mine. How about that?”

“Really?” Kurt sits up, looking at his handsome boyfriend with appreciation. Kurt has always wanted to be a role model – an athlete with a mission, to help advance the future of his sport. He knows that that future could rest in the hands of kids who, because of money issues, might never get their chance on the ice. Watching them down at the rink on discount days, tripping around in rentals but never giving up, knowing that a better skate could mean the difference between recreational skater and athlete …

… it breaks his heart.

“Really.” Sebastian pulls Kurt close.

Kurt kisses him deep.

“Thank you,” he whispers. “That means a lot to me.”

“Well, keep thanking me like _that_ , and I’ll have to find more stuff to donate.”

“So does that mean I’m a good kisser?”

Sebastian grins, eyes glued to his boyfriend’s mouth, waiting for another kiss. “Yes, sir. A _very_ good kisser.”

“Maybe I should put those skills to good use then.”

“Maybe you should,” Sebastian agrees, inching closer.

“I could open a kissing booth!”

A breath away from his boyfriend’s mouth, Sebastian stops. “Wha---what?”

“A-ha. For a dollar a smooch. And I can use that money as the first official monetary donation to our foundation!”

Sebastian snarls. Kurt laughs out loud. “How about _I_ get _all_ the kisses and write you a check? That way I won’t have to kill anybody!”

“Sounds like a plan!” Kurt bombards his boyfriend’s lips with pecks. Sebastian retaliates by pulling him into his lap and tickling him.

“What do you want to do about these?” Sebastian asks his panting boyfriend, nudging the nearest skate box with his toe. “Did you want to send these back? Say thanks but no thanks, I’ll buy my own?”

Kurt snaps his head up, staring at Sebastian like he’s crazy.

“Not a chance! I mean, I recognize that they were given to me because I have a certain amount of privilege now, but they’re $900 skates, Bas! That’s twenty-seven hundred dollars sitting here alone!” Kurt swipes the gold embossed invite from the box and hugs it to his chest, including it in his sentiment. “I’m keeping the skates!”

Sebastian kisses Kurt’s forehead, smiling proudly. “That’s my boyfriend.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> JSYK, I don't know that this is the way Riedell works. I love Riedell skates. I'm only using them in this series because my daughter skates Riedell. I'm sure if the soles of her skates fell apart and we posted it on Instagram, they'd say something. I'm using them to highlight a specific issue about privilege. That's all.


End file.
